NL Scholarship Motivation Letter 2027: Who Runs It

NL Scholarship Motivation Letter 2027: Who Runs It

There is no single NL Scholarship motivation letter. The national page sets no essay and sends you to "the website of the institution you want to apply to". At the four participating universities we read, the document is questions in an online form (Utrecht), an uploaded letter (Groningen), your programme's own motivation letter (Radboud) or an invitation-only application (Wageningen), with deadlines from 31 January to 1 May 2027.

Two things follow. First, the university writes the questions, so write to its questions, not to a generic Holland Scholarship letter template. Some guides still quote a single 500-word letter rule; the Study in NL page we read contains no word limit at all. Second, several of the universities most people search for were not on the last published list. When you have a draft, choose the NL scholarship motivation rubric for a free review.

Every Study in NL, Nuffic and university page quoted below was checked on 31 October 2026. On that date Study in NL still showed its 2026-2027 list of participants, and each of the four universities below described a 2027 procedure on its own page.

How the NL Scholarship works

Study in NL, the official information site, says the scholarship "is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science as well as several Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences. The scholarship amounts to € 5,000. You will receive this in the first year of your studies. Please note that this is not a full-tuition scholarship." Its scholarships page still lists it under the old name too: "NL scholarship (Holland Scholarship)".

The national criteria are short: non-EEA nationality, a full-time bachelor's or master's at a participating institution, meeting that institution's requirements, and no degree from a Dutch institution. Everything else, including the motivation questions and the deadline, is set by the university. Utrecht and Wageningen can award up to €15,000 to one student by combining scholarships; Groningen and Radboud describe a single €5,000 award.

Who took part last cycle and who did not

Study in NL says "The list of participating universities changes every year." Its 2026-2027 list of research universities:

Eindhoven University of Technology, Maastricht University, Protestant Theological University, Radboud University, Theological University Apeldoorn, University of Groningen, University of Twente, Utrecht Theological University, Utrecht University, VU Amsterdam, Wageningen University & Research.

Not on it: TU Delft, the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Tilburg University.

Our view: if your university is not on the list and its own scholarship page does not mention the NL Scholarship, do not write an NL Scholarship letter for it. Spend the time on that university's own awards. TU Delft, for example, runs a separate five-question form; see the TU Delft Excellence Scholarship form.

The countercase: the list changes every year, and the 2027-2028 list was not on Study in NL on the date we checked. A university missing from 2026-2027 could join. Check the university's own NL Scholarship page before you rule it out.

Four universities, four procedures

The table is the main point of this page: the same scholarship name hides four different documents. Read your row before you draft anything.

Utrecht: questions inside the OSIRIS form, due 1 February

Utrecht asks you to log in to OSIRIS, find "NL Scholarship" on your dashboard, open the form and "Answer all required questions". It names the criteria:

Academic background as demonstrated in your application for the master's programme. Your motivation, which should explain the relevance of your time in the Netherlands and at Utrecht University to your future goals. The quality and feasibility of your financial plan.

The financial plan is a form of its own, and the page is strict about it: "Applicants are expected to show a realistic financial plan that covers the full nominal duration of the Master's programme." Your motivation answers and that plan are read together, so they must tell the same story. If an answer says you will study full-time, the plan must show how you pay for the second year.

Two timing rules: "If you submit your application between 27 January and 1 February, any incomplete or incorrect information cannot be updated or supplemented", and "We aim to publish the results by mid-April." Not every programme takes part; Utrecht says to check each programme's "Tuition fees and financial support" information. For Utrecht's admission letter itself, see the Utrecht motivation statement guide.

Groningen and Radboud: read for your academic goals

Groningen asks for an uploaded letter after you hold an admission offer, with your transcript and that offer letter. Its selection paragraph says the most about how the letter is read:

A ranking of candidates is made after a careful evaluation of both academic merit and the content of the candidates' motivational statement. As part of this evaluation, the selection committee also considers how studying in the Netherlands aligns with the applicant's future academic and professional goals, and how the programme may contribute to their longer-term plans.

Groningen says "We aim to notify all applicants of the selection results by 15 March."

Radboud has no separate scholarship essay on its page. You opt in "during your application procedure for a Master's programme in the OSIRIS Application system", and the NL Scholarship "will always be combined with the Radboud Scholarship Programme". Under "Ambition", the selection criteria list "The quality and relevance of your motivation letter for the Master's programme." So at Radboud your admission letter does double duty. Write it knowing the scholarship committee reads it too.

One caution: Radboud's eligibility list still says you must be admitted to a programme "starting 1 September 2026" and have applied to the Radboud Scholarship Programme "for 2026-2027", while its deadlines are in 2027. Ask Radboud which applies before you rely on either.

Wageningen: by invitation only

Wageningen offers "Available scholarships: 8" for a September 2027 or February 2028 start. You cannot apply directly: "Eligible candidates who are conditionally or unconditionally admitted will automatically be invited to apply. Invitations are sent weekly from 1 February 2027 onwards." If invited, you must apply "before 1 May 2027", and "From 1 May onwards, applications are no longer possible."

Eligibility is narrower than the national rule. You need "a GPA of 80% or higher" and one of 26 listed nationalities (our count), including India, the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Vietnam. Each award is €5,000, and "The selection committee may award a maximum of three NL Scholarships to one student". Since the invitation comes after admission, the master's application you file now is the only part you control; Wageningen's general master's application asks for a CV and an optional personal statement, not a motivation letter.

Writing the motivation answers

Three of the four universities publish what the motivation part must show, and they converge on one question: why does studying in the Netherlands, in this programme, lead to your goals? Utrecht asks for "the relevance of your time in the Netherlands and at Utrecht University to your future goals". Groningen asks "how studying in the Netherlands aligns with your future plans". Radboud reads your programme letter for "quality and relevance". If that programme letter is for a research master's, see the research master motivation letter guide for what it has to carry.

Our view: answer why the Netherlands through the programme and your next job, never through the country's image. Tulips, bicycles and openness are not reasons a committee can weigh. A course, a research group, a method or an employer you can name is.

The countercase: if your plan really does depend on the country, say so concretely. Wanting to start your career with a Dutch employer, or to work on a problem you will study on site, is a reason; name the sector and what the degree gives you for it.

Constructed example: Utrecht's "relevance of your time in the Netherlands" answer

Context (invented): Maria Santos, a public-health graduate, applying to a Utrecht master's that takes part in the NL Scholarship.

Constructed example, written by us, not a real applicant statement. The weak version (60 words):

The Netherlands is an open-minded and innovative country, famous for its high quality of life and excellent education system. Studying at Utrecht University, one of the best universities in Europe, would be a dream come true. I would love to experience Dutch culture, improve myself as a person and gain international experience that will help me in my future career.

The revised version, also constructed (94 words):

I plan to lead vaccination-data work at my country's health ministry within five years. The gap in my training is causal inference from routine records: my bachelor's thesis used survey data and could not separate effect from selection. [Programme name] teaches that method in [course from the programme page] and lets me write my thesis with [research group from the programme page]. Studying in the Netherlands also puts me in an English-taught programme with students from many health systems, which is the comparison my ministry work will need. I will return home after graduating.

Why the revision works: it names a goal, a gap, the course that fills it and the group it would use, then gives one country-specific reason that is about the work. Every claim can be checked against the programme page. The bracketed placeholders are where a real answer names real courses and groups.

Before you submit, check the answer against your financial plan: if it says you will study full-time and return home, the plan must cover two years without relying on a job.

Orange Tulip Scholarship: what we could verify

Nuffic's international programmes page lists "Orange Tulip Scholarship (OTS)" under "Programmes previously managed by Nuffic". On 31 October 2026, Study in NL's Orange Tulip page returned HTTP 404 and the Neso Indonesia site did not load. We found no current official page describing the scholarship's terms or a motivation letter, so this page does not describe them. If a Neso office or a university sends you current Orange Tulip details, follow their page.

Questions about the NL Scholarship motivation letter

How many words is the NL Scholarship motivation letter?

The national page sets no limit. Each university sets its own form; none of the four pages above prints a word count for the scholarship answer.

Is the Holland Scholarship the same as the NL Scholarship?

Yes. Study in NL lists it as "NL scholarship (Holland Scholarship)".

Can I apply for the NL Scholarship at TU Delft or the University of Amsterdam?

Neither was on Study in NL's 2026-2027 list. Check each university's own scholarship page for 2027-2028.

Do I write one letter for several universities?

No. Each university has its own questions and date, and Radboud reads your programme letter. Write each answer to that university's criteria.

When do I find out?

Groningen aims to notify by 15 March, Utrecht to publish results by mid-April, and Radboud around mid-April 2027 ("date subject to change"). The scholarship asks about the Netherlands; your programme letter asks about the programme. See the why this programme paragraph in your programme letter.

Get a free review of your motivation letter

Get a free Quick Review of your motivation letter against GradPilot's NL scholarship motivation rubric. It reads your academic readiness, what you have done beyond a title, a feasible future direction, and your reasons for this Dutch institution and programme. For a form like Utrecht's, paste one question and its answer at a time.

For the admission letter that sits next to it, see the Dutch master's motivation letter guide; for scholarship essays in general, how to write a scholarship essay for award fit. More guides are in graduate school essays and on the scholarship essay review page.

Sources

Retrieved 31 October 2026, except where noted.

• Study in NL, NL Scholarship (2026-2027 list shown): financing, €5,000, criteria, participating research universities.
• Study in NL, Scholarships: "NL scholarship (Holland Scholarship)".
• Utrecht University, NL Scholarship (1 September 2027 start): amounts, deadline, criteria, OSIRIS steps, financial plan, results.
• University of Groningen, NL Scholarship (2027–2028; page last modified 16 October 2026): letter, deadline, selection, results.
• Radboud University, NL Scholarship for prospective students (2027-2028 numbers; eligibility lines dated 2026): opt-in, RSP link, deadlines, criteria.
• Wageningen University & Research, Scholarships (September 2027 / February 2028): 8 scholarships, eligibility, invitations, 1 May 2027.
• Wageningen University & Research, Apply for a master's programme: CV and optional personal statement.
• Nuffic, International programmes: Orange Tulip Scholarship listed as previously managed by Nuffic.
• Not retrieved: Study in NL Orange Tulip page (HTTP 404) and Neso Indonesia (no response) on 31 October 2026.